| Thursday, December 4, 2008 | Opelika, Alabama |
Vol. 1, No. 6 |
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Photos contributed by Ashley Settles Twenty-two girls and young women attended the second annual GRACE INC. cotillion Nov. 22. The cotillion presented eight debutantes from the Auburn and Opelika area. Eight junior debutantes and five princesses also participated in the cotillion. Pictured above are all 22 cotillion participants. |
GRACE INC. sponsors second annual Cotillion for local young women
Contributed by
Ashley Settles
Girls Reaching a Call to Excellence (GRACE) INC. sponsored its second cotillion Nov. 22 at the Hotel At Auburn University. The Crème de le Crème Cotillion presented eight debutantes from the Auburn and Opelika area. Eight debutantes and five princesses also participated in the cotillion.
The participants completed a six-month training process which included etiquette workshops, scrapbooking, health and beauty workshop, public speaking, a success breakfast, a mother-daughter luncheon, ballroom dance classes and community service.
The speaker, Chippewa Thomas, Assistant Professor at Auburn University, provided the Debutantes with their Charge.
GRACE INC. was founded by twin sisters Allison and Ashley Settles. GRACE INC. was founded in 2006, for the purpose of equipping girls with the necessary skills and knowledge to develop and maintain positive self-esteem and image, to achieve academic excellence, to encourage civic responsibility and leadership skills by educating them, their parents and others who impact their lives.
In order to be a member of GRACE, girls have to between the ages of five and 17. The participants must maintain a good GPA, be involved with community service, participate in school and civic activities and organizations and have good character. Members are required to complete an application and get letters of recommendation to be accepted in the program.
Anyone interested in becoming a member of grace inc. should contact Debbie Dowdell at 334-559-6555.
Awards
Ms. Debutante - Jasmine Cannon (senior Opelika High School)
Ms. Jr. Debutante - Skye Guice (7 th grade student Opelika Middle School)
Ms. Princess - Kyla Chambers (2 nd grader Jeter Primary School)
Ms creme de le crème - Tamara Andrews (sophomore, Auburn Middle School)
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Pictured above is Jasmine Cannon, the Ms. Debutante winner. Cannon danced with the other contestants at the cotillion.
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| Pictured right is Ms. Jr. Debutante winner Skye Guice, a seventh grader at Opelika Middle School. |  |
Red Cross gives Thanksgiving to military families
Contributed by The Lee County Red Cross
Families of military servicemen were treated to special gift baskets from the Lee County Red Cross just in time for Thanksgiving. Military families of service members ranked E1 to E3 and nominated by their commanding officers or the Veteran's Administration received a special gift full of food for the week's feast.
Families receiving the Thanksgiving baskets were pre-selected using various channels and received a letter inviting them to pick up their gift. The baskets contained a turkey or ham, two choices of sides for four to six people, a choice of a pecan or pumpkin pie and a few other traditional items. All food was chosen by the receiving family.
Holiday baskets were picked up at the Honeybaked Ham Company on Gateway Drive Nov. 25 and 26.
Disbursement of the Thanksgiving Baskets marked the kickoff of a year-long campaign funded by a new Department of Defense grant to provide services for members of the armed forces and their families. The Lee County Red Cross currently extends services such as emergency message distribution and will continue these efforts into the new year with services that include community education, video conferencing and an Armed Forces Day celebration.
If you would like to learn how to make a donation or become involved with the Lee County Red Cross, please call (334)749-9981 or visit their office at 206 26 th Street in Opelika.
Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign begins
Contributed by the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross is sponsoring a national "Holiday Mail for Heroes" campaign to receive and distribute holiday cards to service members and veterans both in the United States and abroad.
"Holiday Mail for Heroes," which began Veterans Day, is a follow-up to the 2007 effort that resulted in the collection and distribution of more than 600,000 cards to hospitalized service members. This year's program will expand its reach to not only wounded service members, but also veterans and their families. The goal is to collect and distribute one million pieces of holiday mail.
"As we enter this holiday season-a time to celebrate with family and friends-it's important to remember the thousands of men and women who serve our nation in harm's way and those who are recovering in military and veterans hospitals," said Army Col. Norvell V. Coots, commander, Walter Reed Health Care System. "The Holiday Mail for Heroes program is a wonderful outreach effort and a great way to acknowledge the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform."
Holiday cards should be mailed to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD.
20791-5456
All cards must be postmarked no later than Dec. 10. Cards should not be mailed or delivered to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
For more information, visit www.wramc.amedd.army.mil or www.redcross.org/holidaymail for "Holiday Mail for Heroes" program guidelines. Walter Reed is not accepting mail addressed to "A Recovering American Soldier."
